FBI search of NIU police swept up Curl records

SYCAMORE – Federal investigators seized documents in the William Curl murder investigation during their sweep of records at the Northern Illinois University police department.

At a pre-trial hearing Thursday, DeKalb County Public Defender Tom McCulloch said there was a delay in obtaining some NIU police records involving his client’s alleged role in the October 2010 death of NIU freshman Antinette Keller because the FBI had obtained the documents during its search in March.

Investigators sent the court the documents, which are not believed to be the target in the search of all department records back to 2005. The search warrant did name Eden’s Garden, the housing development owned by NIU administrator Eddie Williams, who is on a paid leave of absence.

Prosecutors also requested documents during the hearing, hoping to obtain documents from Reality House where Curl received counseling services. Because Reality House is associated with the Ben Gordon Center, prosecutors were told all relevant documents from Reality House should have been submitted to them in 2010 when they requested documents from the Ben Gordon Center.

“We may have them already, we just want to make sure we do,” said prosecutor Phil Montgomery.

Judge Robbin Stuckert said she would review all requested documents and determine their relevancy to the case before turning them over to the attorneys.

The requests are not expected to delay the start of the trial, which will begin April 11 with jury selection.